Secret of Ahel
by Indigo Frost
Summary: Chapt 4 is up and ready. I might have double posted, if I did I'll delete it ASAP!
1. The Nightmare

A/N:  
Hello everyone, this is my first time posting here and I sure hope its not my last :). Anyway, I just kinda wrote this as a "spur of the moment" type of thing. Ya know, I had a little time on my hands and A LOT of inspiration waiting to be written down, so here it goes. Please be nice and review, and I would really appreciate no bashing me or anything, just "constructive" criticism, thanx. Well, here we go, please eat, drink, and read like crazy!!! (*Yeah, its a pathetic quote, but sue me, I'm still workin on it:)*)  
  
Disclaimer: HA=CB, not ME!!! (Don't sue unless you really want a computer that has trouble handling word, and a couple hundred already read copies of Animorphs, Everworld, Harry Potter, and stuff by Madeline L'Engle)  
  
So, without further ado (drum roll)...  
  
"Secret of Ahel"  
  
**************  
Helga turned the corner. This wasn't right, something was wrong here. Everything seemed to be in place, but still...what was it that was missing? She crept along the ever darkening corridor, smells of mold and dust caused by neglect of cleaning filled her nose. All around her, hanging limply upon the walls like guardians of a sacred domain, were tapestry's filled with pictures of demons and wild beasts far beyond imagining, all depicted in battles that seemed so real you could still hear cries of death and rage. Each of these was draped in cold, gray moonlight from the occasional high, arcing window, that appeared to reflect the light off of the pupils of their eyes, allowing them to take on a life of their own. Helga rubbed her hands together and blew into them, yet the air that seemed to be filled with the very presence of death, simply turned her breath into a puff of frost on the wind. Finally she spotted what she had known would be there all along, yet even know she was too afraid to acknowledge it. A small red light glowed in depths of blackness and mystery at the end of the final corridor. It was only a pinprick of bright blodd, a ruby star on a cloudy night that managed to break though for only a moment...but it was constant. As constant as the voices that seemed to come from within it. They seemed to whisper and mumble incoherent sounds that echoed of the cathedral ceiling. And above all of the rest, a light whisper of a voice that seeped into your body, your very soul, and made you shiver from its icy tone.  
  
"Helga...Helga...I know you hear me...come Helga...reach out your hand and touch me...Touch what you cannot resist..."  
  
Slowly Helga, her eyes glazed from fear or maybe just the undying call of that seducing voice, walked forward. Pulled by the strings that had been wrapped around her, like a puppet. So many illusions being cast by whoever or whatever this strange thing was. Illusions of her friends, her family, of...Arnold. And in this state she was in, the voice seemed to speak through Arnold as well.  
  
"Come Helga, come on...I've got something very important to tell you...that's right, just grab my hand, and it'll all be better..."  
  
Helga continued, the sound of her feet stepping along the chilled, gray stone floor growing slower and slower as the attempted to resist, but failed. And now so close, only an arms length away, just needing to reach up to touch the cold projection. So close...so close....  
  
"Come Helga, your so close. Just a little more and you can be free..."  
  
Helga lifted her hand and began to reach.  
  
"Come Helga..."  
  
Arm reaching...  
  
"Come Helga..."  
  
Inch's away...  
  
"Come Helga..."  
  
Millimeter's...   
  
Then she touched...  
  
"COME!!!"  
  
The projection of Arnold was gone, and the voice had turned so raspy and dark. Everything was spinning and swirling!  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
***********  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"  
  
Helga sat up in her bed, soaked in a cold sweat and in mid-scream. Her heart beating so fast, she could have sworn that it would explode. The young girl of only nine years turned on the pink light sitting at her bedside table (pink being her favorite color). After a slight scan of her room from the safety of her covers, she crept out of her bed, but not before reading the time on her electric clock upon her dresser. In neon red numbers it flashed "3:02 AM". Helga walked over to her window and opened it, careful not to make too much noise less anyone else in the house awaken and inquire as to why she wasn't asleep at this hour (tomorrow was a school day after all). A cool night breeze rushed into her room, and ruffled her hair slightly, causing her to shiver. The blonde child took her gaze away from her room and stared up at the sliver of crescent moon, glowing silver in the navy/black sky. Helga closed her eyes and appeared to be in deep thought, like she was praying for something, or maybe just wishing...wishing that something would go away. A single tear fell down her cheek, resting upon the small object she held in both of her hands like it was the one thing that could give her what she wanted. A small, golden locket. For a few minutes, she just sat there, unmoving, allowing the pale light from that lunar sphere touch her soft face.   
  
Finally, Helga opened her eyes, blinking them a little to get rid of some of the moisture that was still there. She stood up, and upon closing her window, walked back over to her bed, propping the locket on her night stand where she would be able to see it. Helga then climbed into her warm bed, and with one last look at the picture of her beloved, she lay down to fall back asleep, never turning out the light, which Arnolds likeness rested upon...  
  
  
  
What do ya think??? Please tell me, you don't want me to spazz and have a heart attack or a stroke now do ya?(everyone smiles evilly)Hey?!  
  
  
  
  



	2. Ominous Clouds

A/N: Hello everyone and thanx for the reviews! I had the second part written up and unsaved and before I could get it on my disk the power went out!(Mental Note" Always save the document "First", then write it. So this is the second version of chapter two, sorry the last one was kinda short, but I found a good place to end it and I really didn't want to push it too far. Anyway, this one's longer. I'll try and make em at least 1000-1200 words from now on. R&R!  
  
Disclaimer:I DO NOT own HA! Not that I wouldn't like to, I just don't.  
  
P.S: Anything that has one or more of these "*" near them will have an explanation at the bottom.   
  
The time was 8:45 in the morning, just before the school bell would ring. The day was exceptionally dark and overcast, giving the appearance of rain or a possible storm. And although the springtime humidity should have made things slightly warm, a deep chill occupied it's place. Buses, once filled with noise and unimportant gossip, started their engines for the second time that morning with slight jerks and puffs of exhaust that hung on the air, empty.   
  
Every student that was in front of P.S 118 that morning was involved in some kid of activity. Yet as all the children were engrossed in idle conversations, rushes to finish up the previous night's homework, and small games of hopscotch and jump rope, one stood off alone, unaware of them all. This young 4th grade boy with blond hair, sea green eyes, and a slightly "oblong" head seemed to be staring at the clouds, in search of something...or someone-  
  
"Hey Arnold!"  
  
Arnold turned his head away from his interrupted thoughts in slight surprise and then smiled as he saw his best friend, a deep-toned boy with a raspy voice and unusually tall hair approach.  
  
"Hey Gerald," came his slightly less-enthusiastic reply. Both boys placed their fists together and wiggled their thumbs. A traditional symbol of their strong friendship. Upon finishing this "secret handshake", Arnold turned his attention back to the sky overhead, as did his friend. Gerald frowned and a disappointed look came to his face.  
  
"I guess we're not gonna be having practice today. Man, these Spring showers keep messing up our schedule. At this rate we'll have to cancel with Wolfgang on Saturday."  
  
It took a second before Gerald realized that Arnold wasn't paying attention, but instead still staring at the ominous scene above them both.  
  
"Arnold! Hey, hey Arnold!" He began to snap his fingers in front of Arnold's face, hoping to break his stare. Finally, with a slight jolt Arnold awoke form his trance-like state. With an apologetic look he turned to his best friend,  
  
"Sorry Gerald, I was just thinking..."  
  
The dark-skinned boy raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity.  
  
"That's cool Arnold, but what's got you so preoccupied?"  
  
Arnold sighed heavily and turned his gaze down to the ground.  
  
"Well it's just-"  
  
However, as he was about to finish, the bell rang. And before the sentence could even escape him, both boys had been pulled into the rushing herd of students, entering the school building.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Slowly the day passed, subject by subject went without interruption. Math, History, English and Science. Finally it came time for lunch, and as the bell sounded, hordes of children, 1st grade through 6th, piled into the cafeteria to partake of whatever food they might have.  
  
But even at this most happiest time of freedom from the boredom of school, Arnold still seemed lost in his own thoughts. And by now, Gerald was becoming slightly wearied,  
  
"Look Arnold, I know somethin's buggin' ya, so why don't you just tell me what it is already?"   
  
Arnold turned his head down, as he had done earlier that morning when asked the same question by his friend,  
  
"Well, it's just...haven't you noticed that things have been seeming a little weird around here?"  
  
Gerald took a glance around the cafeteria. Curly was jumping on his lunch tray while it was still on the table singing the latest Ronnie Matthew's song, a capella*, Sheena and Eugene were practicing their latest choreography steps and **Choclate Boy was trying to break Harold's record of eating 50 Mr. Fudgie's in a row. He turned to Arnold with a bland look,  
  
"Nope."   
  
Arnold turned back toward Gerald and rolled his eyes with a slight smile and a sigh. Then he quickly became serious again.  
  
"No Gerald, I mean like weird...like the weather for instance."  
  
Gerald spared a glance toward the window, and saw the still continuing dark clouds.  
  
"Come on man, we just had a spring shower last week, there's nothin' weird about rain in April."   
  
The blonde boy looked towards the window as well, shaking his ever-so*** slightly.   
  
"It's not the rain...haven't you noticed how dark those clouds are? They look almost like heavy snow clouds they're so dark. And what about how cold it's been today. It has to be at most 50 degrees, and yesterday it was 70. Last night it was even 65. Temperature couldn't have changed that fast?" The 9 year old looked to Gerald for his response,  
  
"Arnold, is that all your worried about, a little weather disturbance. Just watch the news, I'm sure it's just a shift in the winds or something. Remember when we had that flash flood? It was a perfect day one minute, then torrential rains the next."  
  
"It's not just that Gerald, there's something else..."  
  
"What man?"  
  
"Well..." Arnold took a deep breath, and seemed to be thinking about whether he should say what he was thinking over, "it's just that...I don't know, something feels strange...different. Like there's something missing or out of place or something."  
  
Gerald placed his hand on Arnold's shoulder, "Now Arnold, you know I'm always behind you 110%, but your over thinkin' things man. There's nothin' wrong with a little rain and an out of season breeze...unless it messes up our baseball practice." He ended jokingly. Arnold gave slight smile and tried to put his deliberations out of his head...or at least give the appearance that he was.  
  
"Now, are we still on for our checkers game tonight?"  
  
The boys continued their conversations as usual, talking about the new sequel to the "Evil Twin" series, the science quiz, and everything they could think of...they didn't even notice the small drop of neon red light, that had appeared just outside the window...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*a capella means singing a song without backround music of any kind  
** I know that from the new season of eps Choclate Boy is now addicted to radishes and has pretty much kicked the choclate habit. Please just go along with it and don't constatly point it out to me.  
***Yes, sue me, I used the phrase "ever-so" (or is that considered a conjunction?) and Lila didn't have any dialogue. PLEASE don't hurt me!!!:(  
A/N: Well, that's it for now. Expect chapter 3 in a day or so. Oh and I was wondering if you guys could help me with something. Someone gave me one of these Backstreet Boy's CD's that were a Burger King Promotion. I got CD#2 and on the last track, 7 (whihc is unlisted) there's thing song that I think is called "My Religion". I think Britney (sp?) Spears is singing it but I can't quite tell, does anyone know? I really like the song and it's been killing me! Thanx!  
  
  



	3. Advise Yourself

A/N:Chapter Three. Please review people, I need to know what you want, what you like and don't, okay? Thanx!  
  
Disclaimer: You already know I don't own it, do I really need to say it?  
  
"Secret of Ahel"  
  
Chapter 3  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The school day dawdled on, and upon the stroke of 3:00, every kid in the neighborhood of P.S 118 rushed home to complete homework, play with friends and continue their lives. Helga Pataki walked along side her best friend of the past 6 years, a young Japanese/American girl with black hair and eyes, Phoebe Hyerdahl. Both girls strolled along the gray slate sidewalk in an unusual silence that was only broken by a slight cough or a whisper of wind. But something was different to Helga, her feet seemed to be dragging like some extreme force of gravity was holding her down. It was as if the sidewalk itself, with all of its little weeds and tufts of grass growing through the cracks, was not solid at all, but instead a thick cement only minutes away from drying, as it had once been. Eventually a sigh from Phoebe broke the prolonged hush,  
  
"Helga?" Helga's gaze stayed on the granite that kept her moving at such and uncomfortably halting speed.  
  
"Helga?" Phoebe prompted.  
  
Helga shook the forlorn look out of her eye, and turned to her companion, "What is it Phoebs?" she questioned in a slightly depressing manner.   
  
Phoebe played with her fingers as she spoke, "Helga, it appears to me that your a little...well, 'out of sync' as it were. Usually your verbose nature keeps up a somewhat lively intercourse, but today, you seem the slightest bit...preoccupied. Is something wrong?"  
  
Helga looked up at her dear schoolmate, and stared deep into her eyes. Phoebe was smart and understood a lot. A lot more than her anyway. Maybe she could find a way to help, or at least advise her. It was at that point both girls arrived at Helga's front door, and walked in hanging up their coats and heading to Helga's room.  
  
"Phoebe..." began Helga, "I just...I haven't been feeling right lately. Everything seems wrong, I know you've had to notice something. No one else has, or at least they haven't let on that they have."  
  
Phoebe met Helga with an uncertain look, "I'm sorry to report, that I honestly haven't noticed anything 'wrong'. Maybe your just generating these thoughts, through some form of...paranoia?"  
  
The small light of hope that had held in Helga's eye, now dimmed as Phoebe finished her explanation.  
  
"So," Helga flopped onto her bed, memories of the night before flooding her mind. A slight tremor went through her body, just enough for Phoebe to take note of, but not to comment on, "your saying I'm imagining it, right?"  
  
Phoebe sat on the end of the bed, just across from Helga. "Precicley." She smiled.  
  
Helga stood up, a slight hint of anger beginning to take form.   
  
"Oh, I get," a slight smirk now came to her face, "so your saying I'm daft, loony, off my rocker, out of my head, crazy, nuts, ready for the funnyfarm!!!???" Now Helga was yelling at the top of her lungs, her face right up at Phoebe's, "Well guess what, I might be, but at least I know when I'm imagining something and when its real, and let me tell ya, this is real!!!"  
  
By the time she was done, Helga was red in the face and breathing heavily. So much anger had built up in her, simply because she knew what she was talking about, but no one had seemed to care or believe. And now Helga's last hope, her best friend Phoebe, had just been snuffed out. Helga turned away, arms folded, a scowl upon her brow. Then, as she was about to say something more, the young girl noticed the hurt look in Phoebe's eyes.  
  
Helga sat down next to Phoebe, and placed her arm around the girl in a comforting gesture, hushing her voice, "I'm sorry Phoebe...I've just been a little angry about this whole thing." Now Helga's voice, just as quickly as it had switched from anger and frustration to a soft whisper, became filled with conniption. " It's just that, no one seems to want to listen when I tell them about how the weather seems funny, or how the air seems heavier, or how no matter where I am there's always this little red light that I know is watching me!" Tears began falling down her cheeks as she sat back down on her bed, knees to her chest and head down.  
  
Phoebe stared with even more perplexion. What did Helga mean about the weather and the air and some 'little red light'?  
  
"Helga...what are you talking about? Your hysterical and your beginning to scare me...please Helga, explain it to me, maybe I can understand then."  
  
So, with a deep sigh, the young blonde child closed her eyes and began her long story. She spilled everything to Phoebe. For once Helga G. Pataki wasn't keeping everything bottled up inside (not that she was exactly spilling every thought and emotion she had ever had) just allowing the basics to come forward. And at last she ended with her dream...that 'so real you could have almost touched it' dream, that had plagued her continuously all week. When finished, Helga blinked and opened her eyes, expecting to see her vigilant friend sitting upon her pink sheeted bed...but instead of that warm, comforting scene of the one person who had cared and would probably always do so...all she saw, was a small red light surrounded by gray and black smoke...  
  
"Oh my..."  
  
A/N: Sorry for the slight delay, but I'm working on another story...not as serious as this one, more of a comical crossover if you will. Not written as good (*thats on purpose obviously ;)*), but I think you'll all like it. And I know I said I try and make each chapter about 1000 words, but I found a decent ending place, and its deserving enough. R&R!!!!!   
  
  



	4. You "two"?

A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay. I'm working on two other stories (one for HA I think you'll all like). Not to mention having some serious writers block. But it doesn't seem like a lot of people are reading, (I know I myself prefer the realistic HA stories but I've always been a SCI fiction writer myself:) Trust me, this isn't some story where we find out that Helga is an alien pod person with her own cult and a major website or that Arnold is a freakish monster from another dimension that eats peoples brains and sucks their organs through a straw. Not quite anyway. To tell you the truth I'm just making this up as I go along. Whenever I plan a story in my head I always over think it to the point where it just becomes annoying. Oh well, enough of me, R&R!!!  
  
Disclaimer: You don't honestly think I'm Craig Bartlett in disguise, do you?  
  
P.S-I made one small change at the end of chapter 3. It's "really" tiny and makes no difference, but I just out it in for effect.   
  
Copyright=me  
  
"Secret of Ahel"  
  
Arnold lay on his bed, the clouds had gotten darker overhead, which meant that most likely the sun was almost fully set. Through his glass tiled roof Arnold could make out how very heavy those clouds were. 'They should have started raining.' was all he could think as they passed by in the unusually frozen spring air.  
  
Just as he was falling into a deep slumber that would relieve him form all of his worries and fears, a shrill cry pierced the air. Reluctantly Arnold sat up with a sigh and trudged over to his phone.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey man, how ya doin'?" came the voice of Gerald on the other end.   
  
"I'm fine, is our game rescheduled yet?"  
  
"Yeah, for next Friday, that is if it doesn't rain. I still don't see why we had to cancel today I mean, it wasn't even drizzling."  
  
Arnold smiled, "I know, but Grandpa and everyone's parents were right, there's still a chance, and anyway this could develop into a really big storm."  
  
Gerald agreed, "I know, but I still wish we hadn't had to cancel. Hey Arnold?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Is there anyway I could sleep over tonight, Jamie O's got some of his buddies over and if I'm still in the house when they get here, I usually end up as a test dummy for new wrestling moves. Please man?"  
  
"Sure Gerald, come on over we were just about to have dinner. And bring an umbrella, just in case the rain decides to wait until tomorrow morning."  
  
"Ok, see you in 5!"  
  
Arnold hung up the phone with a soft click, and no sooner had he collapsed onto the couch, than he fell asleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Strange sounds and shades of light filled Helga's fuzzy mind. Her vision returned, but became distorted as colors and voices filled it. She quickly sat up, but to fast she realized, as she felt the blood rush to her head, causing her to lay back for a moment and shut her eyes before trying again. When Helga's eyesight was clear enough, she looked around and realized that she was in her bed in her own room. Dusk was beginning to settle over the city skyline. However it was hard to tell except for the fact that the clouds had gotten darker and thicker. Helga turned at the sound of her door being re-opened to reveal Phoebe, donning a scarf. The young girl raced toward Helga and embraced her warmly.  
  
"Oh Helga, I was so worried about you! As soon as you passed out I immediately notified your parents! The doctor was here a little while ago and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with you! Oh Helga, please tell me your all right?!"  
  
At this point, Phoebe was nearly suffocating Helga, who calmly asked her to sit and listen.  
  
"Phoebe," Helga started, "When I passed out, what exactly happened. I need you to tell me every detail."  
  
Phoebe stared with an inquisitive look, "Well, that's just what happened. You were explaining to me why you've been feeling rather 'indifferent' lately, and then you simply fell asleep. I tried to wake you up, but your eyes had become glazed and your breathing slowed. It was only about an hour ago that this occurred. However, you seem fine now. Why do you ask?"  
  
Helga lay there with her eyes wide open. Worry, panic, and was that possibly...fear?, all played through them. She shook her head and turned to the small girl. "Phoebe, ask your Mom if you can sleep over. It's gonna be a 'long' night..."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Throughout the night both Arnold and Helga tossed and turned, not asleep, but falling in between dreams and reality. Many thoughts and pictures flashing through their minds. Just as they were both about to finaly rest, something seemed to speak within their heads, talking in a hollow voice...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
No more than minutes later, Helga was sitting up in her bed just like a few hours ago. She quickly shook Phoebe until she awoke.  
  
"Phoebe," came her voice silently, "Phoebe wake up! This is really important! Please?"  
  
Phoebe stirred in her sleep, then opened her sleepy eyes and placed on her glasses.   
  
"*yawn* What is it Helga, I was having a quite satisfiable dream. Is their an emergency of some sort?"  
  
Helga looked away and nodded her head for a moment, then she turned towards her sleepy-eyed comapnion.  
  
"Phoebe, listen, I think I have to go to the docks."  
  
"Helga, what are you talking about, it's 1:00 in the morning. Go back to sleep, you were probably dreaming." Phoebe turned away and lie back down, already half way into repose. Helga shook her again,  
  
"Phoebe, this is really important, please come with me. You HAVE to. Please..."  
  
Phoebe took one last look at her friend, and then sighed with agreement,  
  
"Coming."  
  
Helga smiled and hugged Phoebe.   
  
"Thanks Phoebs. Come on, we'll go out through my window."   
  
Both girls got dressed, grabbed some flashlights and their coats, and descended out of Helgas bedroom to the street.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, a similar scene had just taken place in Arnold's room.  
  
"Gerald, just come with me. There's...there's something I have to do. I have to go to the docks and you HAVE to come with me."  
  
Gerald showed doubt in his eyes, "I don't know man, I mean-"  
  
"Please Gerald, you know I wouldn't ask you unless it was really important?"  
  
Gerald answered Arnold's pleading look with a smile and a sigh.  
  
"All right man, whatever you say."   
Arnold and Gerald, after quickly leaving a note in case they weren't back by morning, got dressed and left courtesy of Arnold's fire escape. In about 10 minutes, they were at the docks, flashlights ready.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Well," Phoebe started, staring out at the dark waters of the bay, "here we are Helga."  
  
Helga looked out as well, "Yeah, but where is it..."  
  
"Where is what?"   
  
"I don't exactly know, it-"  
  
A rustling was heard near some of the nearby trash cans.  
  
"Phoebe!" came Helga's voice in a high, terrified whisper, "What's THAT?!!!"  
  
Phoebe quickly stood in front of Helga and spun her flashlight in a proffesional battle pattern. Then the light settled on to familiar face...  
  
"AHHHHH!!!!!!!!" screamed Helga, then she saw what, or 'who' to be more precise, had frightened her so.   
  
"ARNOLD!"   
  
Arnold and Gerald stared back at both girls, Phoebe's flashlight making them resemble two deers caught in a cars headlight. Arnold shielded his eyes,  
  
"What are you two doing here?" came both his and Phoebe's voice at the same time.  
  
Gerald spoke up first, "We uh, were...sleep walking?"  
  
That got Helga set back into her bully mode and she folded her arms and raised an eyebrow, "Sleepwalking. In your clothes. With flashlights. At the same time. Right."  
  
Arnold blushed slightly, "Yeah well...what's your excuse?"  
  
Helga became nervous, "Well, we were both just, um...you tell 'em Phoebe!"  
  
She pushed her closer, "Well, um...we were just taking a walk. Getting exercise and everything."  
  
Gerald gave both of them a questioning look, "To the docks at night, on a 'school' night."  
  
All four stared at each other, unfooled by either attempted evasion.  
  
"What are you really doing here?" came their voices in unison.   
  
Just as they were all about to give more excuses, Helga and Arnold glanced off into the distance. Both their eyes widened as they raised their fingers and pointed toward Elk Island.   
  
"Looking for that..."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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